Senegal have "big dreams" to "achieve great things" at the 2026 World Cup, coach Pape Thiaw said on Thursday as he unveiled an expanded 28-man squad for next month's tournament.
Key players include Sadio Mane, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Edouard Mendy and captain Kalidou Koulibaly, who has been sidelined since April 8 with a thigh injury.
Emerging stars Monaco's Lamine Camara, PSG forward Ibrahima Mbaye and Bayern Munich midfielder Bara Sapoko Ndiaye have also been included with striker Bamba Dieng, rewarded for his impressive end to the season with French club Lorient.
"It's a balanced and well thought out group to meet the demands of this World Cup, which is an intense competition," former Senegal international Thiaw told a press conference.
📋 La Liste des 28 Lions retenus par le sélectionneur national Pape Thiaw pour représenter le Sénégal à la Coupe du Monde 2026. #FIFAWC2026 #ListeGaideyi #DemBaJeex pic.twitter.com/lA7qkL9UfV
— Equipe du Sénégal (@GaindeYi) May 21, 2026
The Lions of Teranga will begin their campaign on June 16 against Kylian Mbappe's France in New Jersey. Group I also includes Norway and Iraq.
The two teams previously met in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup, their only encounter, which Senegal won and went on to reach the quarterfinals.
"Senegal have three opponents. Why focus on France?" he added.
"Norway and Iraq are there. We have a historical connection with France. But for me, it's not a special match."
Senegal had a turbulent start to the year when they won the Africa Cup of Nations final in January, a victory later awarded on appeal in March to opponents and tournament hosts Morocco.
CAF cited regulations about leaving the field: during the match Senegalese players, coach Thiaw and his staff walked off the pitch in Rabat after Morocco were awarded an added-time penalty, which forward Brahim Diaz ultimately missed.
The Senegalese Football Federation has appealed CAF's decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Senegal squad
Goalkeepers: Edouard Mendy (Al-Ahly/RSA), Mory Diaw (Le Havre/FRA), Yehvann Diouf (Nice/FRA)
Defenders: Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal/RSA), Abdoulaye Seck (Maccabi Haifa/ISR), Moussa Niakhate (Lyon/FRA), Ismail Jakobs (Galatasaray/TUR, Mamadou Sarr (Strasbourg/FRA), Antoine Mendy (Nice/FRA), Ilay Camara (Anderlecht/BEL), El Hadji Malick Diouf (West Ham/ENG), Krepin Diatta (Monaco/FRA), Moustapha Mbow (Paris FC/FRA)
Midfielders: Idrissa Gana Gueye (Everton/ENG), Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham/ENG), Pathe Ciss (Rayo Vallecano/ESP), Pape Gueye (Villarreal/ESP), Lamine Camara (Monaco/FRA), Habib Diarra (Sunderland/ENG), Bara Sapoko Ndiaye (Bayern Munich/GER)
Forwards: Sadio Mane (Al Nassr/RSA), Bamba Dieng (Lorient/FRA), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern Munich/GER), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton/ENG), Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace/ENG), Cherif Ndiaye (Samsunspor/TUR), Cheikh Sabaly (Metz/FRA), Ibrahima Mbaye (Paris SG/FRA), Assane Diao (Como/ITA)
--------------------------------
Where to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™
Fans can watch every FIFA World Cup 2026™ match live on DStv Premium, Compact Plus, Compact, Family and Access. All matches are also available to stream on supported packages, ensuring flexible viewing options wherever you are.
DStv Stream Access starts from R99 per month, while those with a decoder can watch DStv Access from R150 per month.
How to stream the FIFA World Cup 2026™
With DStv Stream, you can follow every match anytime, anywhere. Download the app and enjoy seamless live streaming on the go.